• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Trofeo Laigueglia 61 st edition 28 February 2024

Page 5 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
He made a mistake in the last climb, because he probably shouldnt have countered Martinez attack. Blew himself up trying to do that. Should have worked with him to increase the gap to the others.

Martinez then went for it in the last 100m of the climb to counter Christen again, got a gap and that was all he needed before that technical descent.

If Christen just tries to focus on following Martinez or working with him, he probably doesnt get dropped in the very end of the climb. He doesnt lose time on the descent. They work together on the flat and he likely wins the sprint.
For someone from a cyclocross background his descending was poor, especially as a heavier rider. Maybe he was just cooked.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
For someone from a cyclocross background his descending was poor, especially as a heavier rider. Maybe he was just cooked.
Well, tbf, he never showed out in CX because of his technique. It's the fact that he is first and foremost a mountainbiker, who, in his time, was world class and podiumed Albstadt, Nove Mesto, Les Gets e.g., which, for a large part, require you to descent at super high speeds, is what is most baffling to me.
 
UAE rides tactically so bad, that a team that is also known to ride tactically bad looks as if they ride like one of the best.

With one of UAE riders (Ayuso) making the dumbest decisions.

Okay, that's probably true. They probably tried to give other riders of the team a chance but putting one guy in a seven-man group is not the brightest, true.

Movistar won the 2016 Vuelta due to tactics.
 
Wait, Bettiol actually won a sprint for minor placings? o_O
3392412-69328508-2560-1440.jpg
 
Well, tbf, he never showed out in CX because of his technique. It's the fact that he is first and foremost a mountainbiker, who, in his time, was world class and podiumed Albstadt, Nove Mesto, Les Gets e.g., which, for a large part, require you to descent at super high speeds, is what is most baffling to me.
Obviously this is at a much lower level (and lower speeds) but as someone who mostly mountain bikes, I have always felt much, much more comfortable on a mtb as the bike set ups are quite different. You just feel like the bike supports you much more, and is a lot more forgiving – while the bike handling aspect definitely crosses over, I can see how a pro would find descending in mtb to be less of a psychological challenge than descending in road cycling.